The Press., 1887-12-15
(New York Tribune ) A WRITHING ANARCH IST.
HOW MOST BORE GROSS EXAMINATION.

| H. HOW MOST BORE CROSS EXAMINATION.
 It was Most's cross examination by Mir. Nicoll that convicted him far moro than I the direct evidence of the prosecution. It was Jaehne's cross. examinationithat sealed his doom. It WAS the crosse examination of their boodling friends that convicted McOuade and O'Neil. The skill of Mir. Nicoll in the art of drawing crimlnating admissions from defendants and their wit. nesSes has been the most fatal part of every one of the great trials Ill which he has en. gagged, but it never had better chance and it never succeeded o notably as in the case of Most. Up to the moment of his examination the defence had had things pretty much thelr own way.
 Since the verdict Most has referred in commendatory tones to Judge Cowing' 5 impartiality. Perhaps it was feeling of confidence inspired by this impartiality which threw him off his guard. His abili- ty showed to advantage on the witness stand. He Is born orator, and his voice is agreeable. It is mellow, sweet, clear and really fascinating. He usually speaks in low tones, but he has such control over his voice as to be able to modulate it with great effect, and to use all it's power with out making too much noise. Sitting in the courtroom, where his beastly repulsive face was out of sight, no one could help being impressed favorably by his soothing or pleading or indignant voice. It seemed l impossible that such melodious sounds could come from creature so disgusting | to look at
 He knows the English language, too, and uses it much more accurately and free ly than most public speakers to whom it is birthright. Though he speaks with a pronounced German accent, yet there IS an entire absence of these peculiar gut teral sounds winch Germans find such diff fculty in overcoming, and which seem to be the result of violent effort to pro- ! nounce all the consonants in the al lphabet at once, He is able to discriminate nicely between words that, almost synonymous, have yet different shades of significance, and he constructs hissentences as cleverly as any one could His character shows in his lop-sided, bad eyed face. His power IS revealed ill his voice and speech. That such a man should have considerable influ- ence over people of similar tendencies and similar modes of thought is not remarkable.
 He told the same story his witnesses had all agreed ill telling as to what he said in Kraemers Hall, save that he expressed
  every sentence which, as told by the state'b witnesses, was venomous and murderous, he had another quite like it but free from all guile. The speech as he recited it was unobjectionable and we'll within the line drawn by the law.
 But when MT. Nicoll took him in hand, trouble rolled over his breast ill big waves. First, he had to admit, after some fencing, that he had not taken the stand in his last trial. He got very red when asked about his experiences abroad. Yes, he had been imprisoned several times yes, ''in most uf der citilise goundries uf der vorlt, of you choose to haf it so"-first in Austria -"vhere dey saidt dot hadt committed some dreasons, dreasons init der emperor he vos afraid uv me, so vent to shall. :" This was in 1869, and year later, "ven l game oudt off der shall I saidt he vos tespot, und dep put me back again." It was in Germany that he next encountered the law. II saidt der Sherman emperor vos murderer, dot vos all, :" he explained. He came out of prison only to go back for | ''braising der Parisian gommune."
 ''What was your next offence?'
 ''I forget.
 ''Wasn't it blasphemy?"
 'tl dinks dot vos vot dey callt it. Dey hadt name for britty much all saidt. Vos you going to make me fight all dem battles vat hadt init dem kings and en- perors ofer again here?"
 | His next experience was in England. 'I saidt something's about der remofal uf der czar."
 "His assassination by bomb, you mean"
 ''His remoful by patriot, mean."
 He began to think by this time that the battles between him and the kings and emperors were going against him. So he came to America, and, after featuring on anarchy around the country, he settled in New York and began to publish the "Freiheit."
 Then MT. NicoL picked up the famous book which up to this time Judge Cowing had refused to permit in evidence. Ii bears Most's name on the title page as its lutionary Warfare" It is manual of in. struction to revolutionists Chow to make bombs of dynamite, un-cotton, nitro glycerine and other explosives.'
 "Are you an author, Most?" asked MT. Nicoll. The determination of the young prosecutor to get that book in evidence seemed to grow in intensity with every de feat. Most squirmed at the sight of it. and with a hideous expression of annoy ance said under his breath
 "Ha ! dot pook some more P
 "What Is it you say about this book Most ?' asked MT. Nicoll, blandly. Bu he got no answer. Then he slowly reac the title of the book and asked Most if he had ever written it.
 Lawyer Howe was only less angry than his client. He said that Most had once al ready been convicted on account of tha book, and that, as it had been ruled ont O evidence, MT. Nicoll had no right even tt refer to it; but, as bearing on the question of Most's credibility, the court admitted the question.
 ''l decline to answer" said the prisoner
 70, do you? Why?"
 My gounsel, he say meet not answer.
 MT. Nicoll turned quickly around, and looking MT. Howe full ill the face, said , 'Now, Most, what did MT. Howe tell yo1 that you must say as the ground upo1 , which you decline to answer? There is 4 ground, and good one; now speak up Most what is it?'' - But Most didn't speak up. He squirm ed and twisted in his chair, and looked a ] ugly as vampire.
 ''Is it because your answer would tenC to criminate and degrade you, most? ?" MOat anpaa1o1 fo tho courE GGVOu no11s